-LRB- CNN -RRB- -- Don Pardo , the announcer whose velvety baritone voice introduced `` Saturday Night Live '' hosts on NBC for decades , has died at age 96 , the network announced .

Pardo was the announcer for `` SNL '' for all but one season over the program 's 39-year run . Prior to announcing for the comedy show , he was a familiar voice on NBC , handling the announcing duties on such programs as the old `` Price Is Right '' and the Art Fleming-hosted version of `` Jeopardy! ''

In a tweet , `` NBC Nightly News '' described Pardo as `` legendary , '' and cast members from `` SNL 's '' long run chimed in with approval .

`` Any SNL actor will tell u : the ultimate moment of your career was hearing Don Pardo say your name . Each week he represented a dream come true , '' tweeted Rachel Dratch , who appeared on the show from 1999 to 2006 .

Seth Myers , who spent years on `` SNL '' before recently beginning his own late-night talk program , wrote , `` RIP Don Pardo . A voice that meant so much . ''

Pardo was born in Westfield , Massachusetts , on February 22 , 1918 . He began his career in theater in his native New England , but switched to announcing after being offered a job by a Providence , Rhode Island , radio station .

While visiting NBC in New York in 1944 -- there to see some of his heroes at work -- Pardo was offered a job with the network , according to The New York Times . He stayed for the next seven decades .

He became a familiar voice to generations of radio listeners and , later , TV watchers . Indeed , he was the NBC staff announcer on November 22 , 1963 , when President John F. Kennedy was shot .

`` He was among the first to tell the nation about the assassination attempt on President John F. Kennedy , '' according to The Hollywood Reporter .

The next year , he became the announcer for a game show that almost rivaled Pardo himself for longevity : `` Jeopardy! '' The original version , with Fleming as host , ran from 1964 to 1975 .

Pardo could regularly be heard telling viewers that the show 's questions came from the Grolier encyclopedia and promising contestants some nice parting gifts , including a supply of Rice-a-Roni , `` the San Francisco treat . ''

In 1984 , Pardo got a chance to parody himself on `` Weird Al '' Yankovic 's recording of `` I Lost on Jeopardy , '' informing the floundering Yankovic that he was `` a complete loser . '' He also had a bit part in the video .

`` Very sad to hear of the passing of my old friend Don Pardo - truly one the all-time greats , '' tweeted Yankovic . .

But for most people under 50 , Pardo will always be the voice of `` SNL . '' Though he was on staff at NBC , he seemed an odd choice for the show , his seemingly strait-laced bearing contrasting with the wild antics of what was , originally , the most iconoclastic comedy show on network TV .

But that , said `` SNL '' creator Lorne Michaels , was the idea .

`` It could n't have been a more different culture , '' Michaels told The New York Times . `` But it was perfect for us . ''

Pardo also appeared in the movie `` Radio Days '' and on an episode of `` 30 Rock , '' among other credits .

People we 've lost in 2014

See more comedy content at CNN Comedy .

@highlight

Don Pardo was 96 years old

@highlight

He was best known for introducing `` Saturday Night Live '' hosts

@highlight

Pardo was among first to report on JFK being shot

@highlight

NBC personalities remember him as legendary